CEBU, Philippines (AFP) - Nine Malaysians have been barred from entering the Philippines amid fears of terrorism following the devastating attacks in the United States, officials said today.

"We denied them entry as potential security threats," said Casimiro Madarang, the chief of the airport immigration office in this central city.

The nine, who claimed to be religious missionaries, arrived at the Cebu airport yesterday. Their passports showed they had recently stayed for at least five months in Pakistan, Madarang said.

The nine, who were wearing traditional Muslim dress, initially could not answer questions on their visit but later said they were tourists going to the mainly Muslim city of Marawi in the south.

They were refused entry and forced to return to Kuala Lumpur on a Malaysian Airlines flight.

Terrorist training

"Actually we didn't consider them suspects. But we just wanted to be sure. Staying in Pakistan for at least five months is enough for one to undergo terrorist training," Madarang said.

He said the Malaysians were barred as part of new security measures imposed after terrorists hijacked four US airliners and crashed them into major US landmarks, killing thousands, on Tuesday.

Saudi dissident Osama bin Laden, based in Afghanistan, is suspected of being behind the attacks.

He has many followers in Pakistan and Muslims from different countries are said to have travelled from Pakistan to Afghanistan to undergo training under the wealthy extremist.

Philippine authorities believe that some domestic Muslim rebels are led by men who went through training in Afghanistan, possibly under bin Laden.

One of these rebel groups, the Abu Sayyaf, is holding two Americans and 16 Filipinos hostage in the south.

Meanwhile, Bernama reported today that Malaysian police are working closely with their Philippine counterparts to get more information on the nine.